


Talk Romance to Me

by Lilyliegh



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: F/F, Fluff, ygotp2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-08 22:40:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8866249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilyliegh/pseuds/Lilyliegh
Summary: Ruri is a diehard fan of classic romance, and her favourite film has been out all week despite it needing to be returned seven days ago. Determined to find the culprit, Ruri heads to the movie store for answers.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Taken from the au prompt: "which asshole hasn't returned the dvd i want yet"

“That’s the seventh time I’ve been there –  the seventh!” Ruri says, balling her hands in fists.

“Maybe someone else likes it?” Yuuto suggests. He adjusts himself on the bar stoo in the kitchen, swivelling around in circles like a child. Ruri has half a mind to stop him because she’s still talking to him, but she tries to compose herself before she continues.

“It’s not a popular movie. It’s a classic – a beloved, timeless classic – but I don’t see fans screaming its name on social media.”

The movie in question is _The Princess Bride._ Ruri swears by the theme and messages of the movie and has fostered a crush on Buttercup since she was a child. When she found out that the local movie shop rented out the film, she was ecstatic: she didn’t need to have the physical copy with her at all times (though it would have been nice), but just once did she want to watch the greatest English love story. Just once did she want to meet Buttercup and Westley and Inigo Montoya again.

But the film is never at the store.

“I’ve been to the shop every day this week and I haven’t seen anyone return it yet. They have one week to return the DVD and it hasn’t come back yet.”

Yuuto shrugs. “Maybe someone took it out the same day.”

“Then I have the worst luck,” Ruri admits. “But I refuse to believe that in the same day the film could be returned _and_ taken out.”

Yuuto shrugs again, this time with an accompanying sigh that Ruri knows means he’s going to share some unwanted advice. “You do know it’s on Netflix, right?”

Yuuto swears by streaming media: he has a Netflix and Crunchyroll account, uses both as often as he uses the microwave to make popcorn, and can marathon full hour-long seasons in a single day. They – she, Yuuto, and Shun – have since had to pay for premium bandwidth just to accommodate Yuuto’s binge-watching habits. However, unlike Ruri’s specific television preferences, Yuuto will watch anything: crime, drama, romance, comedy; bad slice of life anime and the best of shounen filler series.

This is an age-old conversation though, and one Ruri does not drop. “I don’t want to _stream_ a show that I can actively support through buying the official release. Since I can’t buy the DVD from the company, the next best thing I can do is support local shops that can rent me the video. I’m not paying some multi-billion company that bought the rights to the film.”

Yuuto rolls his eyes, but Ruri is not arguing with him: she is boldly stating her point in a calm, cool, and collected manner … and maybe rubbing it in his face that she can afford to buy the DVDs of her favourite shows.

Ruri settles herself down next to Yuuto. “But that doesn’t explain why I can’t get the DVD. I can’t get it _at all_. Either the person who has it is refusing to return it and ignoring the late charges they’ll be pressed with when they return, or they lost it and can’t return it. I don’t want to think of either situation though.”

“You know what you _could_ do,” her brother, Shun, says as he enters the room and takes up a seat next to her, “is torrent it. Better yet, ask me and I’ll give you the files. I have it.”

Shun is a gifted torrenter who shares his ripped videos of seasonal anime on pirating websites like DuelTorrent and YUGO.ja. Ruri has seen his collection before, and she does not approve of his choices. While she is wary of megamillion, paid-service streaming websites, she is abhorred by the amount of online torrenters who illegally share TV shows and anime globally. When Shun had explained the process to her, she’d simmered in quiet rage. Netflix and Crunchyroll still gave back to the marketing companies; torrenting was cheating those funds from shows.

“I am _not_ pirating _The Princess Bride_. I can wait for the DVD.”

“You could just watch it on Netflix though,” Yuuto says. “It’s not going to hurt anyone.”

“Neither is pirating,” Shun points out. “Those companies make enough money as it is.”

Standing, Ruri turns to face them. “No, I’m not supporting Netflix when they take domestic films, localise them, and churn them out as ‘originals’. No, I’m not supporting illegal practices that steal beneficial funding from shows that need that money to create second seasons and sequels and more films. No, I’m not listening to _either_ of you and your inane ideas. I can wait for the DVD to come back.”

With her point made, Ruri turns heel and heads out the door. She marches her way down the frosty sidewalk, shivering from her clumsiness to forget her jacket and gloves. No matter, for the video shop peeks out around the corner of a building a few blocks down from her house. The building has chipped paint in a few places and the posters on the windows don’t display the newest hit dramas, films, and anime, but Ruri still appreciates the homey, welcoming feel the store has when she steps through the door. There are seven rows of DVDs and two rows of CDs, all stocked full of new and old media. To her right is the shopkeeper, Yoko, an altogether bubbly and extroverted woman with a heart of gold.

Ruri raises her hand to wave at Yoko when she notices the woman is talking intently with a girl standing before the counter. Ruri spots her purple hair first, though it’s tied high in a ponytail with a thick, yellow bow that shoots out in several jagged angles. The girl has her hands stuffed in her ripped jeans and she leans back on her heels, appearing far too casual for being on the receiving end of what appears to Ruri to be a lecture from Yoko.

“No, you must bring it back. You can’t keep borrowed DVDs; they are meant to be returned. I hear that you like this film, but our DVDs are not for sale. Because of the outstanding charges on your account, I cannot lend you any more films until you first bring the DVD. I’m sorry, but that is the policy here.”

The girl huffs and leans forward on the counter. “Yeah, yeah, I hear you, but I don’t even know where that film is. I don’t even think I _have_ it anymore –”

“Then you can pay the outstanding charges,” Yoko interrupts.

“I didn’t even know you were counting those. You can’t just expect me to drop – what was it? – _sixty dollars_ on a fucking DVD that I don’t even have.”

Ruri catches Yoko shake her head. “I can’t help you then. Until you find the DVD or pay the charges, I won’t be able to help you with any purchase. I apologise for this inconvenience.” Ruri expects the girl to storm off in a huff, but she stands rock-still, assuming a nonplussed stance. Yoko rolls her eyes, and then spots Ruri. “Ruri-chan!”

The nickname still makes Ruri blush, but she greets her with a warm smile. “Sakaki-san, how are you?”

“Peachy,” Yoko says with a laugh. Her features harden after a moment and she looks to the girl next to her. “I don’t think you’ll be getting your DVD back. I don’t think it exists anymore …”

Ruri opens her mouth to ask just what Yoko means by that, but then the facts begin to come together: the DVD, the late charges, the argument –

“ _You_ have my DVD?” Ruri says, turning to face the girl.

“It’s not _your_ DVD,” the girl snaps back. “And I don’t have it: I lost it.”

“But you did have it,” Ruri presses.

“I don’t know – maybe.” The girl crosses her arms and glares at Yoko. “But whether or not I did, I didn’t know it was due and racking up fees. You can’t expect me to pay all of that; I have other bills to pay that don’t include ridiculous charges on a sappy romance flick.”

Ruri dares to open her mouth to retort, “You’re judging it before you’ve seen it,” but by this point the other girl has stormed out the door and slammed the door loudly behind her. Ruri watches her retreating form cross the street before she turns back to Yoko with a tired smile. “I guess that solves _that_ mystery,” she says with a soft laugh. The disappointment is evident in her voice. If Ruri ever sees _The Princess Bride_ on the shelves again, she suspects it will be because someone bought a new copy.

“Looks like you won’t be getting your DVD back,” Yoko tells her.

“That’s … fine,” Ruri says. “It’s not your fault. I can just watch on on Netflix; it’s better than watching it pirated online, and at the very least I can kick Yuuto off the couch for a few hours.”

Yoko nods solemnly. “Do you want to look for another film in the meantime? Maybe there’s another one that’ll interest you.”

“It doesn’t hurt to try,” Ruri says. She begins to scan through the aisles, searching high and low in the romance section for anything that she either hasn’t seen before or has a strong urge to watch. Most of the B-rated chick-flicks she’s seen – she is nothing if not self-indulgent on Friday nights – and all the classic favourites she’s watched a half-dozen times each. There are some new 2016 dramas that Ruri peruses through, but she isn’t sold on any of their rehashed plots from last year. In the end, the search proves fruitless and Ruri stands to brush down her skirts.

“Sakaki-san, you wouldn’t happen to have any Korean romance –” Ruri cuts herself short as she spots someone charging down the sidewalk towards the building, ponytailed hair blowing in the wind. The girl hasn’t been gone long, maybe twenty minutes at most, but she comes back triumphant with the DVD clasped in one hand. She enters the store and slams the DVD case down on the counter; Ruri flinches at the sound.

“Fucking found it,” the girl growls.

Yoko smirks. “You still need to pay the fee.”

The girl’s eyes turn to small, narrowed slits. “I brought your DVD back. I’m not paying those ridiculous charges, so you can stop asking that.” The girl slides the DVD further down the counter. “I ran all the way to my friend’s house for this because she’s the one who took it; the least you could can do is void the charges that I was _never aware of_.”

Ruri spots Yoko’s grimace: the shopkeeper is clearly torn by being empathetic to the customer’s wishes and by being just by complying with the store’s policy. Ruri herself has never been late with a single film, but then again Shun has called her a ‘goody two-shoes’ a fair number of occasions whenever she has followed along faithfully to the rules. This girl seems much more like Shun: Ruri would have expected her to be torrenting movies too.

“For thirty bucks, Sakaki-san, I’ll buy it.” Ruri reaches into her purse and pulls out several crisp bills. “I’m thankful you brought the DVD back, and I’m willing to pay half the charges so long as I get to keep the DVD. Does this sound fair to you?”

Yoko appears starstruck; Ruri catches her open and close her mouth several times before she finds the words to reply. “I … guess? Ruri-chan, surely thirty bucks is not worth this film. I’m sure Amazon sells it for less –”

“I’ll happily take yours,” Ruri replies. She looks to the other girl. “Does that sound fair to you, um –”

“Serena.”

“Serena,” Ruri repeats.

Yoko shrugs. “If you’re agreeing to it, Ruri-chan.” Ruri hands over the money without a single regret, smiling brightly as she receives the DVD. Serena’s eyes remain focused on her and her mouth hangs open slightly, perhaps wondering _why_ anyone would buy _The Princess Bride_ for thirty dollars when it would be cheaper anywhere else. And Ruri doesn’t really have an answer for the girl, but she does now see that Serena is blushing scarlet and appearing ready to storm out of the store for the second time that afternoon.

“You’ve seen this before, right?” Ruri asks, leaning in just a bit. Serena seems affronted and leans _way back_ , in a way that makes Ruri think she’s going to topple over at any moment, yet it appears this girl has impeccable balance.

“That _is_ why I had it, but then I leant it to a friend. Spread the love or something like that …” Serena turns her head and mumbles. “What’s it to you though?”

“Buttercup,” Ruri says.

Serena looks at her like she’s grown a third head. “What?”

“She’s my favourite,” Ruri explains. “There’s just something so sweet powerful about a girl being that faithful to the one she loves without losing herself in the process. Her lover goes on this great trip, doesn’t see her for ages, and then returns and she accepts him just the same.”

Serena shrugs. “Whatever.” Then, “I prefer Inigo –  gotta love a man who never gives up, who gets revenge but never loses himself along the way.” She pauses. “Why does it matter to you though?”

“Well,” Ruri says with a gentle smile, “I can always lend it to you, no extra charges or anything.”

If anything, Serena’s blush deepens. “I could care less about that film –” She stutters out.

“But you know enough about it, so surely you like it too.” Before they take up any more of Yoko’s time – who has been watching them with an all-knowing smile – Ruri has Serena out the door and down the street, not to her house where surely Shun will reprimand her for spending so much of her money on one used DVD, but down the same street Ruri had seen Serena stomp down earlier.

Serena appears adamant that she has little interest in the film and its character, even though when Ruri asks her to explain how revenge is a strong motive for healthy character development Serena goes into great detail to recount how Inigo’s quest shows passion and dedication instead of pointless bloodthirstiness.

About halfway down the path Serena begins looking around, first at the houses and roads, then at Ruri. “Are we going back to my house?” she asks.

“Is this the way to it? I wouldn’t have known,” Ruri replies. “I just thought we could take a walk, get to know each other better.” She smiles. “You seem like someone I want to know more about.”

Ruri has seen Serena blushing enough tonight, but the girl still goes scarlet and wrings her hands, which are then tucked under her arms. “Guess we better start talking then.”

There’s a flutter in Ruri’s heart, as fast as the wings of a bird and as mysterious as the moon, that keeps her at Serena’s side long after they stop talking about _The Princess Bride_ and start talking about cooking, dancing, dueling, singing – and Ruri thinks maybe she’s found someone she can be eternally faithful to.


End file.
